Aryanization of Jewish Private Banks Aryanization of Jewish Private Banks Source: Yad Vashem Archive 0.51.OSO.76 Document 1 Economic Group of Private Banking Central Association of German Banks and Bankers Berlin, 21 October 1938 Mr. Regierungsrat, Dr. Kohler, Ministry of Economics, Berlin W 8 Taubenstr. 22 Dear advisor, Following your conversation with the undersigned, we herewith submit a list of the firms that are not as yet Aryan. The information is up to date. Heil Hitler! (two signatures) several pages of lists Document 2 Pages 35 - 37, The Minister of Economics, 1 November 1938, memorandum According to our information the number of Jewish banks has been amply reduced. The larger firms no longer exist or are in processes of aryanization. This is true also for the Mendelssohn Banking house, the owners of which have already submitted a request for a changes of the firm with the Reichskommissar for Banking Affairs. The request has not yet been granted, because we still need the opinion of the Gauleiter . The Reichskommissar for Banking Affairs raised no objections. The closure of the existing Jewish banks should be done without consideration of economic or labour problems. The Economic Group for Private Banking is to approach the Jewish banks and convince them to liquidate their businesses. If they should not succeed, their permit to operate a bank should be withdrawn by administrative means. The question was raised whether the withdrawal of the permit should be made by decree or justified by a lack of personal reliability.... We have raised the question with the Reichsbank (The Central Bank), which has a great deal of influence on the supervisory board. Their expert raised doubts, fearing that this could have repercussions on their position abroad. Document 3 To the Economic Group of Private Banking Although the number of Jewish banks has been considerably reduced since the seizure of power, there are still, according to my information, numerous banks whose Jewish owners cannot make up their mind to give up their banking business and comply with the National Socialist policy of the state.... The existence of Jewish bankers can no longer be tolerated. I therefore request that the Jewish bankers in your group be approached with the demand that they cease their activities and liquidate their businesses by 31 December 1938 at the latest. I request a report on the progress of your efforts by 15 December, and retain the right to deny Jewish banks a permit to continue operation, should they fail to comply with your request. Document 4 The German Labour Front, 16 August 1938 To the Ministry of Economy Re: Law for the change of enterprise regulation of the German Reich of 6 July 1938. I refer to my talks with party members Schmeer and Krueger of your ministry and request you to urgently order that the Law for the change of enterprise regulation of the German Reich of 6 July 1938... should be applied also to banking and savings institutions... At the same time, operation permits should be withdrawn from Jewish banks within a definite time limit so as to enable them to liquidate their businesses... Although it has been sufficiently proven in the past, I nevertheless wish to point out the following: unfortunately, it is a fact that Aryan companies with military contracts continue to work with private Jewish banks. In the process of applying for credit for military contracts, the specifications of the contracts are often submitted to the Jewish banks. The Jewish banks are thus fully informed about all the details of the military contract. Considering the wide-spread internationally family ties of Jews, this poses a considerable threat to the secrecy of the military requirements and the security of the state. I also wish to point out the role of international Jewry in boycotting the German Reich in recent years. There is no doubt that Jewish capital has played a major role in this. I do not think I need to elaborate on this subject, as the relevant authorities are certainly aware of the circumstances. Heil Hitler! Document 5 Economic Group of Private Banking 15 December 1938 To the Economy Minister Following your letter of 1 November 1938... we have forwarded the demands to Jewish firms listed in the enclosure. The firms with the marked on the list with red checkmarks have in the meantime begun liquidation processes or have been struck from our list of members because they have been liquidated. The firms with the blue checkmarks have agreed to begin liquidation on 31 December of this year. The firms: H. Aufhaeuser, Munich Hans Friedmann & Co., Berlin Simon R. Henriques, Hamburg Siegfried Simnon, Koeln have passed into Aryan hands or have been taken over by Aryan firms. The following firms have notified us that they are in negotiations for Aryanization to be completed shortly: E.A. Bamberger, Mainz H.A. Jonas Sons, Hamburg Alexander Levy, Hamburg Joseph Liebmann, Karlsruhe ( in liquidation) Communal Bank for Saxony, Leipzig Grundbesitz und Handelsbank K.a.A., Berlin Kroch Jr. K.a.A., Leipzig The firm S. Tannenwald Sons, Brueckenau - otherwise of no importance - has not yet responded to our request, as their manager is still in protective custody. We have demanded that this firm report its entry into liquidation by 31 December 1938 to the commissionary for banking. Office of the Centralverein. (CV)